Michael McKillop makes it three gold medals for Ireland

Michael McKillop broke his own world record in the T37 800m final to claim Team Irelamd’s third gold medal of the day and fourth of the Games.

McKillop coasted home in a time of 1:57.22, Mohamed Charmi of Tunisia took silver in 2:01.45 and Brad Scott of Australia took bronze in 2:02.04

Michael, from Newtownabbey in Antrim, suffers from cerebral palsy and is one of Ireland’s most successful Paralympic athletes.

He won the T37 800m title in Beijing and was the double world champion and world record holder over 800m and 1,500m coming into the London2012 Games.

Coached by his father Paddy, he has the honour of being the first male athlete to break a world record in the Olympic Stadium in London.

In May 2012, he ran 3:59.54 minutes in the 1,500m at the Visa London Disability Athletics Challenge, smashing his previous best of 4:14.81 and setting a new world record.

The delight gold medallist said: “If you don’t enjoy that then you will never enjoy anything in your life. It’s an honour to come out again and race for my country.

"But to run in front of my Mum for the first time in a major championships is something special and my friends and girlfriend is really nice.”

“I knew exactly what I had to do. I was 420 out and I just went at it, just nailed it, put the hammer down with 200 to go I looked up at the big screen, had a enough of a gap so I hit it again coming down the home straight just to be sure.

“I wanted to enjoy this as you don’t often get a chance to run at a major championships like this”

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